Clark scores in 6th minute, Dynamo beat Impact 1-0

HOUSTON (AP)—Ricardo Clark scored in the sixth minute and Houston held on
for a 1-0 win against the Montreal Impact on Friday night, stretching the
Dynamo’s unbeaten streak to four games.

Houston (13-10-8) moved one point ahead of Montreal (13-10-7) for third
place in the Eastern Conference.

Clark got the game’s only goal after getting a shoulder pass from Giles
Barnes in the center of the field, settling the ball with his left foot and
one-timing it with his right foot into the left net from 25 yards out.

Toronto’s best chance to even things up in the first half came in the 41st
minute off Marco Di Vaio’s free kick from just outside the upper right box that
was knocked out by a wall of Dynamo players. The ensuing corner kick was also
cleared by Houston.

The Dynamo missed chances to extend the lead early in the second half as
Clark sent a shot high in 48th minute before Brad Davis had a shot from the left
box stopped on a kick save by Montreal goalkeeper Troy Perkins in the 51st.

Perkins kept the deficit one in the 53rd, batting Davis’ free kick from
outside the upper right box over the crossbar.

Will Bruin’s header off Davis’ corner kick in the 68th was stopped by
Montreal defender Collen Warner and then cleared.

Montreal had a chance to tie it in the 70th after Houston goalkeeper Tally
Hall came off his line, leaving the goal open, but Davy Arnaud’s shot from 14
yards out in the middle was blocked by Houston defender Bobby Boswell.

The Impact remained on the offensive with second half substitute Andrew
Wenger missing a short breakaway just wide of the near post from the middle box
in the 72nd.